Rigid helmet with shock-absorbing adjustable suspension for the head



Nov. 19, 1963 G. J. CROWDES, JR 3,110,900

RIGID HELMET WITH SHOCK-ABSORBING ADJUSTABLE H SUSPENSION FOR THE HEADFiled Jan. 29, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVE 0R.

BR \QWY. 815* ATTORNEYS Nov. 19, 1963 G. J. cRowDEs, JR 3,110,900 RIGIDHELMET WITH SHOCK-ABSORBING ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION FOR THE HEAD FiledJan. 29, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTO United States Patent Filed Jan. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 169,691 4Claims. (Cl. 2-3) This invention relates to a type of crash helmet to beworn by-a flyer, and is more particularly directed to an a improvedsuspension for such helmets.

Heretofore, there has been a problem with providing a satisfactorysuspension lining, incorporating sizing techniques, for crash helmets.In order to reduce manufacturing costs, it is desirable to produce theouter shell of a crash helmet in one standard size and to provide thisshell with adjustable head-engaging means to thereby adapt the head-gearto fit heads of various shapes and sizes. However, the use of adjustablehead-engaging means has occasioned difliculty due to the fact that iteither did not provide a satisfactory fit after adjustment or resultedin an off-center mounting of the hard shell upon the head. Moredifficulties with the known adjustable head-engaging means were thatthey are relatively complicated thereby making them diflicul-t andtime-consuming to adjust. The present invention is directed to animproved shock absorbing, adjustable suspension lining designed toalleviate these difficulties encountered with adjustable suspensionheretofore known under the prior art.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedcrash helmet having a suspension which is a separate and self sustainingassembly easily connected to or detached from the helmet shell.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved suspension forcrash helmets, which can be fitted or adjusted to any size of head,which allows for vertical adjustment of the shell on top of the headthereby allowing for the positioning of all individuals in the samelocation with respect to the front of the shell with the forehead andeyes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved suspensionfor crash helmets, which suspension can be quickly removed from a helmetor shell, fitted or adjusted to a particular size and thereuponinstalled back in the helmet without disturbing said fit or adjustment.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved crashhelmet and a supporting means therefor, the latter being constructed insuch a manner that when adjusted it holds that helmet away from the headof the wearer in all locations except a front check point whereby alocalized blow on the helmet shell is transmitted to a relatively largearea of the head and is thus cushioned to such an extent that evenrelatively severe blows do not cause injury to the wearers head.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedsuspension for crash helmets, which suspens-ion is simple and rugged inconstruction, safe and dependable in use, and is relatively inexpensiveto manufacture.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel featureswill be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the helmet.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the helmet suspension being arrangedinto the shape which it takes in a helmet.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line IHIII ofFIGURE 1 showing one type of front headband supporting means.

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While the principles of this invention are broadly applicable to themanufacture of any type of headgear, such as miners helmets, caps,safety helmets and the like, they are particularly applicable to themanufacture of crash helmets worn with pressure suits, and accordinglythe invention has been so illustrated and will be so described.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the numeral 1 indicates generally a rigid shellof a protective crash hehnet. The shell may be stamped or molded in asingle or standard size from any suitable material such as metal,synthetic resin, hard rubber, or asphaltic composition with or withoutfabric reenfo-rcement.

The helmet is supported on the head of a wearer by a rigging orsuspension 3. This suspension 3 comprises a headband 5 made of a stripof strong, flexible but substantially unstretchaible material havingfree end portions 7 and 9. These free end portions terminate inadjustable means 11 and 13 which maybe buckles or the like. The bucklespermit the peripheral adjustment of the headband. The head-band isstitched on its inside with a pad 15 of sponge rubber or the like.

A plurality, in the present instance four, of head-straps 17, 19, 21 and23, are stitched tothe head-band equidistant around its periphery asshown at points A, B, C and D. These head-straps are secured at theirupper ends to the crown 25. Adjusting buckles or the like 27, 29, 31 and33 are attached to each of the head-straps to permit the crown height tobe adjusted so as to allow the head to be shifted vertically in thesuspension to position the eyes of a wearer in the center of the shellopening 35 and leave a space 37 between the crown 25 and the top of theshell.

The suspension 3 is inserted into the shell 1 by passing the head-band 5through the flange 39 which is permanently :afiixed to the front of theshell as'illustrated in FIGURE 3.

This is the only direct contact between the head-band and the shell. TwoV-shaped tapes 41 and 43 having their legs 42 and 44 secured to thehead-band by stitching 45 and 47 as illustrated in FIG. 1, providesupport for the suspension on the sides of the head. These tapes areromovably fastened to the shell at points 49 and 51 as illustrated withsnap fasteners 53 and 55.

The rear head-strap 57 is passed under a positioning strap 59 which isriveted to the rear of the shell. This head-strap is also stitched tothe head-band at D.

An important advantage of my improved helmet resides in the fact thatsuch helmet is in direct contact with the suspension at only one point.This enables the suspension to float about the head thereby providing acushion elfect. As can be easily appreciated with reference to FIGURE 1,the rigidity of the head band 5 in conjunction With the rear torquestrap 57 maintains the head of the individual on-center in the helmetand the peripheral adjustment of the head-band, when adjusted, holds thehead away from the shell in all locations except the front check point39. These features enable a tangential blow of extremely high energycontent occurring on the surface of the hard shell (which is relativelyincompressible) to be effectively absorbed and redistributed over alarge area of the head thereby bringing the unit force down to atolerable value.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials andarrangements of parts which have been herein described and illustratedin order to explain the nature of the invention, maybe made by thoseskilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention asexpressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a flyers crash helmet, the combination of a hard outer shell andan inner shock-absorbing adjustable suspension lining Wherein saidlining comprises a head-b and having free end portions; a crown; aplurality of headstraps depending downwardly from the crown and beingsecured to the head-band so that the head-band is supported around theperiphery of the helmet; a plurality oi buckles connected to saidhead-straps for permitting the adjustment of the vertical alignment ofthe lining in the helmet so that a predetermined distance is maintainedbetween the crown and the shell; adjusting buckles connected to the freeend portions of the head-band for adjusting its peripheral sizes; andmeans attached to the 'front of the shell for receiving the head-band sothat the lining only makes direct contact with the shell at this pointthereby providing a resilient cushioning efie ct for blows striking thehelmet.

2. A helmet according to claim 1 further including a soft paddingconnected to the inside of the head-band.

3. A helmet according to claim 2 further including snap fastenersremovably securing the head-band to the shell;

V-shaped tapes securing the snap fasteners to the headband, said tapesbeing secured by the upper legs of the V to the head-band and carryingthe snap fasteners at the bottom of the V.

4. A helmet according to claim 1 further including an attachment meansat the rear of the vshell for adjusting the lining inside of the helmetso that the head of an individual wearer is maintained on-center in thehelmet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,066,493 Sporre Jan. 5, 1937 2,371,712 Scholl et a1 Mar. 20, 19452,758,306 Grancsay et a1 Aug. 14, 1956 2,763,005 Richter Sept. 18, 19562,802,212 Finken Aug. 13, 1957 2,846,683 Dye et al Aug. 12, 1958

1. IN A FLYER''S CRASH HELMET, THE COMBINATION OF A HARD OUTER SHELL ANDAN INNER SHOCK-ABSORBING ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION LINING WHEREIN SAIDLINING COMPRISES A HEAD-BAND HAVING FREE END PORTIONS; A CROWN; APLURALITY OF HEADSTRAPS DEPENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE CROWN AND BEINGSECURED TO THE HEAD-BAND SO THAT THE HEAD-BAND IS SUPPORTED AROUND THEPERIPHERY OF THE HELMET; A PLURALITY OF BUCKLES CONNECTED TO SAIDHEAD-STRAPS FOR PERMITTING THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE VERTICAL ALIGNMENT OFTHE LINING IN THE HELMET SO THAT A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE IS MAINTAINEDBETWEEN THE CROWN AND THE SHELL; ADJUSTING BUCKLES CONNECTED TO THE FREEEND PORTIONS OF THE HEAD-BAND FOR ADJUSTING ITS PERIPHERAL SIZES; ANDMEANS ATTACHED TO THE FRONT OF THE SHELL FOR RECEIVING THE HEAD-BAND SOTHAT THE LINING ONLY MAKES DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SHELL AT THIS POINTTHEREBY PROVIDING A RESILIENT CUSHIONING EFFECT FOR BLOWS STRIKING THEHELMET.